Running vacuum tube light



Aug. 14, 1934. L. BECK RUNNING VACUUM TUBE LIGHT Original Filed May 1, 192a Qvwwsto'z LEO L. BECK Patented Aug. 14, 1934 1,969,719 RUNNING VACUUM TUBE LIGHT Leo L. Beck, East Orange, N. J., assignor to Claude Neon Lights, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 1, 1926, Serial No. 105,907

Renewed October 26, 1933 18 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum tube lamps of the type wherein a column of more or less rarified gas is caused to glow and radiate light by the passage of an electric current therethrough, and more particularly to lamps in which the gas is neon under low pressure, with or without the addition of other substances.

Lamps of the class described produce a brilliant and beautiful colored light, of high intensity and are therefore favored for advertising signs and for similar purposes. Such lights have not so far as I know, heretofore been arranged for anything but steady illumination, although the brilliant and beautiful color effects which may be obtained from such lamps render them particularly desirable for all kinds of advertising and attention-inviting illumination generally.

It is an object of this invention to produce an illuminating system of lamps of the class described so arranged and operated as to produce the appearance or illusion of movement, or what is better known to the trade as a running border.

It is still a further object of this invention to produce an illuminating system of lamps of the class described which shall produce the effect of one or more spots or waves of light travelling over apredetermined path, course, or design.

Still other objects of my invention will be apparent from the specification.

The features of novelty which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself however, both as to its underlying principle and as to its practical embodiments will best be understood by reference to the specification and accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 represents a vacuum tube lamp utilized in my system; and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a system according to my invention, made up of four lamps such as shown in Fig. 1.

In accordance with my invention, I create the illusion of a moving spot or moving spots of light moving in any particular desired design bythe use of a plurality of separate and independent gaseous conducting paths such as neon lamps each of which is arranged to provide a plurality of separate and independent gaseous conducting paths such as neon lamps each of which is arranged to provide a plurality of light-radiating portions and a plurality of inactive or non-radiating portions. that the entire path glows during thepassage Of course it will be understood ent state of our knowledge to coat the envelope at these portions with an opaque covering of some sort or to run it behind a screen. Usually this isdone by what is known as painting out", which comprises painting the portions to be inactive with opaque paint.

As stated above, in accordance with my invention I provide a plurality of gaseous conducting paths having light radiating portions and inactive portions. The tubes are arranged so that the active portions of different tubes follow successively and in a predetermined order in the design or effect which it is desired to produce. Stated differently, the arrangement is such that for instance if these tubes were arranged with their active portions forming a straight line, in

passing from one end of the line to the other one would pass over the active portions of each tube successively until an active portion of each different tube had been passed. This group of active or radiating portions of two or more tubes forms a section of the desired design. Then one would pass again over the active portion of the. first tube, the second tube, and so on which group forms a second section of the design. The inactive portions of the tubes will be bent or otherwise disposed in some way such that they do not interfere with a view of the design which it is desired to show.

Some means are provided for energizing each of the tubes at a predetermined time and for a predetermined period and these means will be so coordinated and arranged as to produce the effect of moving light desired. For instance, if it is desired to produce simply an illusion of one or more spots of light moving along a straight line, the energizing means will be so arranged that successive portions of the line will be successively energized thereby producing the illusion of movement, or what is commonly known in the art as a running border.

Referring now to Figure 1 I have shown a vacuum tube lamp comprising a section of tube 1 preferably of glass and having active portions 2 adapted to radiate light when a current is passed through the gas contained in the tube, and also provided with inactive or non-radiating portions 3 which are preferably painted out or disposed behind-a background so that they cannotbe seen. The lamp terminates in end portions 30 and. bulbs 4 provided with suitable electrodes for energizing the gas such for example as interior electrodes 5 mounted on lead-in wires 6 and passing through a press 7.

In order to arrange a system to produce the results desired a number of lamps of the general type shown at Figure 1 will be provided although of course it will be understood that the exact configuration of each lamp will be determined by the position which it is to occupy in the system as will be more clearly pointed out hereafter.

By way of example I may utilize four such lamps designated as 10, 20, 30 and 40. Lamp 10 is provided with a plurality of active radiating portions 12 and a plurality of inactive portions 13 connecting the active portions and is disposed with the active portions on the line desired to be produced. The second lamp 20 is likewise provided with a plurality of active portions 22 connected by a plurality of inactive portions 23 and is placed in such position and so shaped that the active portions 22 successively follow the active portions 12 of lamp 10 from the left side of Figure 2 to the right. Similarly, lamp 30 is provided with a plurality of active portions 32 connected by inactive portions 33 and lamp 40 is provided with active portions 42 connected by inactive portions 43 and lamps 30 and 40 are so shaped and disposed in the line so that their active portions fall in their proper places. It will thus be seen that in passing from the left side of Figure 2 to the right one passes sections 12, 22, 32, 42 then this cycle is repeated several times.

For the sake of simplicity, I have shown the bulbs and electrodes diagrammatically in Figure 2 but it will be understood that these portions are so disposed that they do not interfere with the design. They may, for instance, be disposed behind the background. In order to energize the lamps successively to produce the illusion of movement, I may provide a suitable interrupter or commutator device 50 having a rotating contact 51 which passes successively over stationary contacts 52, 53, 54 and 55. The rotary contact may be connected to one side of the source of supply, for instance to one side of the usual V. A. C. lighting circuit.

A transformer will preferably be provided for supplying each of the tubes. In this instance I have shown four transformers 56, 57, 5.8 and 59 supplying the tubes 10, 20, 30 and 40 respectively.

A connection is established from the contact 52 to one terminal of the primary of transformer 56 and connections are similarly established from contacts 53, 54 and 55 to one terminal of the primary of transformers 57, 58 and 59. The other terminal of the primaries of all of said transformers are connected together and to the opposite terminal of the source of supply. The secondaries of the transformers are connected to the electrodes of the corresponding tubes and in addition suitable switches not shown may be provided wherever desired, as for example between the load and the source of supply. Any suitable means, of course, may be utilized to operate the rotary contact device 50, but preferably an electric motor will be used.

In order to operate my system the main switch will be closed to supply power to the interrupting device 50 which will be set into operation. It will be understood that as the rotating contact 51 passes over contacts 52, 53, 54 and 55 a voltage will be impressed across the primary of transformers 56, 57, 58 and 59 successively which in turn will induce a voltage in the secondaries and thereby cause the respective tubes to glow and radiate light as will be understood.

Assuming the contact 51 to be in the position shown, tube 10 will be energized and light will be radiated from all of the active portions 12. When the contact 51 leaves contact 52 the tube 10 will be de-energized and portions 12 will no longer radiate light. At this time however, contact will be made with segment 53 thereby energizing tube 20 and causing sections 22 to radiate light. Similarly as the contact 51 leaves the contact 53 tube 20 will be de-energized and these sections will no longer radiate. In a similar way the passage of contact 51 across contacts 54 and 55 will cause sections 32 and 42 to successively radiate light, to thereby completing the first cycle.

It is to be noted however, that all sections 12 will be lighted at the beginning of the second cycle and since sections 42 were previously lighted the spot of light which began at section 12 at the extreme left of Figure 2 will have passed over the first four sections 12, 22, 32, and 42 and now appears at section 12 of the second series. Continued operation of the contact 51 produces a similar effect; thatis, the spots of light defined by the active portions of the respective tubes pass continuously along the line, presenting theillusion of movement.

It will be understood that any desired design may be produced although I have shown a straight line for the sake of convenience and it will be also understood that the inactive portions of the tube may be disposed and arranged in any desired way other than that shown to prevent interference with the active portions.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention it will be apparent that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A running light sign comprising a plurality of positive column tubes having a plurality of sections of each tube light-radiating to define spaced portions of a desired design, and means to render portions connecting said radiating portions non-radiating, the radiating portions of separate tubes being so arranged that said design is made up of corresponding radiating portions of separate tubes arranged in predetermined recurrent relation and means for energizing said separate tubes successively.

2. An illuminating system comprising a plurality of separate positive column tubes, each comprising spaced light emitting portions and said tubes being so arranged that the light emitting portions of a plurality of said tubes are interposed in recurrent sequence between light emitting portions of the same tube and. means to successively energize the tubes.

3. An illuminating system comprising a plurality of separate positive column tubes, each comprising spaced light emitting portions and said tubes being so arranged that the light emitting portions of a plurality of said tubes are inter-,

posed in recurrent sequence between light emitting portions of the same tube, and means for radiating portions of diiferent tubes are arranged successively in line, and means for energizing said A tubes successively.

5. A running light sign comprising a plurality of positive column tubes having a plurality of portions of each tube light radiating, means to render intermediate portions of each tube nonradiating, said tubes being so constituted that said radiating portions define illumined sections at successive portions of a desired design, and means for energizing said tubes successively.

6. A running light sign comprising a plurality of positive column tubes having a plurality of portions of each tube light radiating, means to render intermediate portions of each tube nonradiating, said tubes being so arranged that radiating' portions of each fit together to form a desired design, and means for energizing said tubes successively.

'7. An illuminable chaser efiect sign comprising a plurality of adjacent illuminable gaseous conduction lamps each having illuminable and darkened portions, the illuminable portions of said lamps combining to form a substantially unbroken and continuous lineal area, and means for consecutively illuminating said tubes to progressively illuminate said area.

8. An illuminable chaser effect sign comprising a plurality of illuminable tubes arranged side by side, each tube having a plurality of exposed illuminable portions spaced from one another, corresponding illuminable portions of the respective tubes being arranged in substantially merging lineal sequence whereby to produce a number of substantially" unbroken illuminable areas, and electrical means for illuminating said tubes in a predetermined order to bring about the illumination of said areas for the production of. a predetermined optical eifect.

9. The combination set forth in the immediately preceding claim, and said illuminable areas being arranged in substantially merging series extending in the direction of the length of the tubes.

10. An illuminable moving efiect sign comprising a plurality of adjacent illuminable tubes, each tube having illuminable and non-illuminable portions, the illuminable portions of said tubes being disposed in substantial continuity in a predetermined path, and means for consecutively illuminating said tubes to progressively illuminate said path.

11. In a device of the character described comprising illuminable chambered means, an ionizable medium within said means, a plurality of selectively operable ionizing electrode means for said medium, means effective upon the energization of each electrode means for eifecting illumination of diiferent lineal areas of said chambered means, and said lineal areas being disposed in substantially merging lineal series.

12. In an illuminable moving light effect sign comprising a plurality of illuminable tubes extending in the same general direction, each tube having a plurality of spaced portions adapted to give forth a predetermined illumination efiect, corresponding illuminable portions of the respective tubes being arranged in substantially lineal sequence with their ends adjacent to produce a substantially continuous area of uniform luminescent appearance, and means for illuminating said tubes in predetermined order to bring about the illumination of said portions for the production of a predetermined optical ell'ect.

13. In a device of the class described, a plurality of illuminable vessels extending in the same general direction, a rarefied medium within said vessels, said vessels rendered illuminescent by the ionization of said medium, means for ionizing said medium, said vessels having, exposed and unexposed portions, said exposed portions of the vessels being arranged in progressive alternation with respect to one another and in a series extending in the general direction of the length of the vessels, and means to selectively illuminate said vessels to produce said apparent travel of the portions in said direction.

14. In a display device, a plurality of parallel, immediately adjacent, elongated lamps each having a plurality of alternate translucent and opaque portions, the translucent portions of each lamp being transversely opposite the opaque portions of the adjacent lamps.

15. In a sign, a plurality of illuminable tubes having alternate transparent and opaque portions and the transparent portions of said tubes being arranged in substantially merging series extending in the direction of the length of the tubes.

16. In a sign adapted to give the optical effect of luminous areas moving in a predetermined direction, a plurality of illuminable vessels arranged alongside one another and extending in the general direction of movement of said areas, each of said vessels having alternate exposed and unexposed areas, said exposed areas arranged substantially in a row extending in the general direction of movement of said areas, and means to selectively illuminate said vessels to produce said optical effect.

17. An illuminating system comprising a plurality of separate positive column tubes, each comprising spaced light emitting portions, said tubes being so arranged that a light emitting portion of one tube is interposed in a desired line between successive light emitting portions of another tube and means to successively energize the tubes.

18. An illuminating system comprising a plurality of separate positive column tubes, each comprising spaced light emitting portions, said tubes being so arranged that a light emitting por-- tion of all oi! said tubes is interposed in a desired line between successive light emitting portions of another tube and means to successively energize the tubes.

LEO L. BECK. 

